The Circle Tour

[emptysea]

Looks like you're having a great time (except with technology). Looking forward to hearing about the rest of your trip.

[Stichill_imp]

Livin' the dream, offroad!

[Offroad]

Day 6

Weather worked out perfect! 67 to 74 degrees all day long. Example picture below 67 degrees at 10:34 AM.



Rained hard that night, woke up to this view:



Past Radar



Future Radar



I'll have to say, this east coast of Lake Michigan has the most amazing views so far!

Road 119 started me out. I basically tried to take any road nearest the water that wasn't a dead end.

First saw the Legs Inn Empty Sea mention....it was mid morning so didn't stop.

Then the tunnel of trees:



Didn't disappoint, it was very cool. This was the view from someone's front yard.



One house had the biggest rocks I've ever seen used for a chimney.



Harbor Springs was probably my favorite views.



This is how they get privacy on their docks.



What a great Weeping Willow Tree.....they had bike paths everywhere!


Then on to Petosky







Here is your $700,000 view!





Then Traverse City....lots of boats!



Finally made it up to Suttons Bay to the restaurant Empty Sea recommended VI Grille.....it was great!

Luckily they had Wi-Fi so I could make my hotel reservation in Manistee for that night on my laptop/tablet since my phone was dying.



Went on up to Northport....Road 22 was great all the way!

Made to Sleeping Bear Dunes.....I needed local help to find the big one.





Didn't really need the rain jacket but it was also an excellent wind breaker over my mesh jacket and 67 degree temps.


Ended the day with a great view coming down a hill at Arcadia





This was far the best views of the trip!

[emptysea]

Oh..this is so great to read! We stopped for coffee in Harbor Springs on our Circle Tour, right before hitting Tunnel of Trees. I loved that harbor view. One of my best friends, Mike G. (Black Goldwing for those who have read my Seat Time reports) has a house in Suttons Bay...you rode right past it. He'll be tickled that you stopped at VI; it's one of his favorite places.

I love riding around up there...it's not particularly challenging, although there are curves and hills, but what that's countered by sheer beauty. Glad you were able to enjoy it in ideal temps.

[Offroad]

Day 7

I had to be in Battle Creek by the end of the day.....I stayed along the coast as long as I could then headed inland.

Right before the sand dunes yesterday I passed the 45th Parallel....the days are longer as you go north....it got dark around 9:30.



I followed US bicycle 35 to stay along the coast.



After that ran out I followed the Shoreline Trail



I was surprised to run into a hydroelectric dam and generating plant along the lake.



Luddington had a great park....I stopped there and had a snack.







Luddington is also where the SS Badger is located that takes you across the lake....at first I thought this big ferry was it, but it wasn't...it was still big!





The surprise of the day was this great little out in the middle of no where place to eat.

I was coming down the road and saw this



At first I didn't see the building and thought it was a family picnic with people sitting outside eating at picnic tables.

As I got closer I was surprised to see the building



When I saw "Hot Fried Fish" I knew I had to stop.




This evidently was a well know local favorite for generations





The variety of fish was impressive





The smoked fish looked very good!





I got the fried scallops



I ran into a town that rents jeeps and takes people to ride over sand dunes at Mears, MI....looked like fun.

All the jeeps had BIG FLAGS on their front bumpers probably 10-12 feet high.....took me a while to figure out why they were there.



After that I headed inland to Battle Creek and called it a day.



Day 8

I superslabed it home .....almost....I did find a nice road I wonder how I never knew about ...IN 39 from I-70 to Martinsville, IN



I set a new record of 446 miles in one day!



Total for the trip 2477 miles....put me at 6306 miles in the approximate 2 months I have this bike....took me 4 years to put 7000 on my CB1100



Now I go back to normal life. Thanks to everyone for all the tips, roads, stops! The only rain was the first 2 days....The temps were perfect.....I passed my experiment of living out of what I could carry on a motorcycle for 8 days....I'd call it a successful trip!

[Cormanus]

Nice one offroad. Please do it again soon. I've enjoyed following along immensely. Perhaps you could do a decent trip on the CB for the purposes of comparison?

[the Ferret]

Awesome, awesome, awesome! What a great trip for you offroad. And great pics too. My how you've blossomed as a motorcyclist. You can pound the curves now and spend all day in the saddle. Think about that. Now there is nowhere out of reach for you on two wheels. Your limitations are now are only limited by your imagination and desires. (well, and the school system lol). Congrats.

So the big Beemer did well? And How did you like the Michelin tires?

[Offroad]

Thanks!

There were no technically challenging curves, but the Michelins did great. They never wiggled in the rain and I was careful to watch out for the sand.

What I learned the most is how much I need my luggage/backrest. I went one day without it and regretted it.

Below is what I have setting in the passenger seat.....fits perfectly again the top case. It has an adjustable Velcro backrest pad on the other side.

Using all dry fit under wear I was able to put 9 days worth of clothes in there.

[suhawk305]

Enjoyed your report and pictures, thanks for sharing.

[emptysea]

I've been on the Jeep tour at Mears (actually Silver Lake). We've also rented also rented dune buggies there. Lots of fun.

I have not been to (or even heard of) Bortell's Fisheries, but I think a road trip for some fried smelt might be in order.

Also, you may want to be more careful with the backgrounds on your selfies. You never know when some wisenheimer is going to crop your pic for their own amusement.





Case in point.... I posted this on Facebook with the caption "A few of my favorite things"... two of my friends sent me the pic with the last half of the second word cropped out.